Certain conventional data storage systems use the Common Information Model (CIM) to represent elements of a data storage system (e.g., disks, LUNs, RAID groups, subsystems, etc.). These data storage systems are managed remotely by a conventional client application running on a client computer device across a network. In order for the client device to obtain information regarding certain aspects of the data storage system, the client device issues a request for certain CIM objects maintained by the data storage system (i.e., CIM objects of a particular type).
Conventional data storage systems typically include a server device configured to, in part, store an object data model having a set of hierarchically arranged object classes. Each object class has an associated property file which characterizes instances of a CIM object class within the hierarchy. For example, conventional client side computer devices store client side property files that map to a hierarchical object data model. These can include property files for CIM classes of objects representing disks, storage processors, RAID groups, and enclosures associated with the data storage system.
In these conventional data storage systems, in response to receiving the requested CIM objects, the client device can display the CIM objects in several different ways. For example, the client device can display each of the objects as a particular component (e.g., as a button, a link, or a table) of a class of objects, thereby allowing an end user to interact with a data storage system element (e.g., disk, logical unit number or LUN, host, etc.) represented by the corresponding displayed objects.